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Evening Colonel.

o 1st Lt. Vernon J. Baker Baker, 77, of St. Maries, Idaho, was a platoon leader with C Company, 370th Infantry, 92nd Division, when he led his 25-man platoon against a German stronghold at Castle Aghinolfi, Italy. He personally wiped out a bunker and a machine gun nest and killed two Germans with a submachine gun he had picked up. His company commander ordered him to withdraw. Only seven men returned unhurt from the mission, but the platoon killed 26 Germans and destroyed six machine gun nests and four dugouts.

o Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr., Los Angeles, Company No. 1 (Provisional), 56th Armored Inf., 12th Armored Division. Carter received a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on March 23, 1945, near Speyer, Germany. Carter volunteered to lead a three-man patrol across an open field to check out a warehouse after the tank he was riding on started taking fire. Small arms fire killed one of his companions. He ordered the others back as he provided cover. One was killed and the other wounded. Carter pressed on, taking wounds in his leg and arm and a bullet through his hand before taking cover. Two hours later, eight German soldiers approached him. He killed six, took the remaining two prisoner and used them as shields to get back across the field. Carter died in 1962.

o 1st Lt. John R. Fox, Boston, was a forward observer with Cannon Company, 366th Inf., 92nd Div. The battalion he was supporting had 1,000 men to man 30 miles of front near Sommocolonia, Italy. On Dec. 26, 1944, Germans overran the battalion. Fox called for artillery fire. As the Germans closed in, Fox called for fire directly on his position. The fire direction control officer balked, and so did the colonel who had never heard such a suicidal request. Fox replied, "There are hundreds of them coming. Put everything you've got on my OP [observation post]!" The colonel still balked and called to division headquarters for approval. He got it, and high explosive shells then rained on Fox's position. The unit later retrieved his body from the shattered wreckage, surrounded by about 100 dead German soldiers.

o PFC Willy F. James Jr., Kansas City, Kan., G Co., 413th Inf., 104th Div. As his regiment crossed the Weser River near Lippoldsberg, Germany, on April 7, 1945, James drew fire and volunteered to scout the German positions. He reported and took the point in the attack. When his platoon leader was killed, James went to help him and was killed himself.

o Staff Sgt. Ruben Rivers, Tecumseh, Okla., A Co.,
761st Tank Battalion, 3rd Army. Although wounded when his Sherman tank hit a mine near Geubling, France, Nov. 16, 1944, Rivers refused first aid and evacuation. He took command of the tank leading the column and fought on. Three days later, his battalion was attacking the village of Bourgaltroff when German anti-tank fire hit the lead tank. Although ordered to pull back, Rivers advanced, radioed he spotted the enemy positions and attacked. The duel with the Germans continued until an 88mm shell hit his turret and killed him.

o 1st Lt. Charles L. Thomas, Detroit, commander, C Co. 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 103rd Div. On Dec. 14, 1944, Thomas volunteered to serve as a decoy for an armored task force attacking Climbach, France. Thomas led the way in an M-20 armored car. The Germans opened up mortar and artillery fire on the platoon. Glass and lethal shards wounded Thomas, and his vehicle was hit and immobilized. Although wounded, Thomas crawled under the vehicle and deployed his men and anti-tank guns. Thomas died in 1980.

o Pvt. George Watson, Birmingham, Ala., 29th
Quartermaster Regiment. Watson drowned while rescuing others after Japanese bombers sank his ship near Porloch Harbor, New Guinea, March 8, 1943. The ship was so badly damaged that the commander ordered it abandoned. Watson remained in the water and helped other soldiers who could not swim reach the life rafts. He was caught in the turbulence when the ship sank. His body was not recovered.